Baby Emmanuel's father pleads guilty to second-degree murder of his missing 7-month-old son
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- The father of baby Emmanuel Haro of Cabazon on Thursday pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case of his missing 7-month-old son.
Jake Haro also pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm to a child, and filing a false report, a misdemeanor.
He cried in court as he submitted his pleas, and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 3 in the case.
No new information came to light regarding the whereabouts of the missing baby's body.
Haro's pleas were entered directly to the court without the involvement of the district attorney's office, meaning no plea deal was given to Haro.
Meanwhile, the child's mother, Rebecca Haro, pleaded not guilty to an amended criminal complaint. The details of that complaint were not immediately made public.
The Riverside County DA's office released a statement that reads in part:
"Because there are still active criminal proceedings involving Rebecca Haro, the District Attorney's Office will make no additional comments regarding the case or the guilty pleas of Jake Haro."
The pleas came after Emmanuel's parents Emmanuel Haro appeared in court Thursday morning for another felony settlement conference for talks aimed at a plea agreement.
Jake and Rebecca Haro, charged with the murder of their missing 7-month-old son, had previously pleaded not guilty in the case.
A felony settlement conference typically takes place before a preliminary hearing. It is an informal discussion between the prosecution and the defense attorneys in front of the judge in which they exchange information and try to negotiate a resolution to the case.
Multiple conferences are not unusual. The elder Haros previously attended one in mid-September.
Emmanuel was reported missing on Aug. 14. His parents were arrested in connection with the baby's death.
"The filing in this case reflects our belief that baby Emmanuel was abused... over time, and that eventually, because of that abuse, he succumbed to those injuries. That's what we believe," Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said at the time.
Jake and Rebecca Haro were taken into custody in August after a multi-agency investigation into the disappearance and presumed death of their son.
It began Aug. 14, when Rebecca said she was attacked and the baby kidnapped in a Big 5 parking lot in Yucaipa.
Questions were raised after authorities said there were inconsistencies in the parents' story, leading them to search their Cabazon home multiple times before they were arrested and charged.
Haro's plea confirmed the community's worst fears.
"When I heard him plead guilty to the counts he was given I wanted to just cry because I feel like we got justice for the baby," said Carla Jaramillo, who is a member of Emmanuel's Warriors, a group that has attended every hearing to be a voice for the baby.
Rebecca Haro is scheduled to be in court Nov. 3 for a preliminary hearing.
